Does that remind you of anyone?
by Minxheart
Summary: A One shot of Charlie and Zoe who are one of the understated pairs in the ED! Based on 23rd of feb episode


**Ok so I wanted to update Sam's Life and I was writting it upto the part with the Charlie and Zoe scene and then I thought how amazing their friendship is because Charlie has been there though Zoe's affair with Sean, her relationship troubles with Nick Jordan in series 24, when Nick was bullying her after the thing with the brain tumor and when Zoe was worrying about Nick's brain tumor so to one of the best friendships exept maybe Zoe and Tess. **

She sat upright angry for one thing, played was the other how could she have been so stupid to think he would listen to her, "Do you know how close we came to disaster?" she asked rhetorically  
"We came though it" he reasoned calmly in an annoying tone that made her more annoyed.  
"You should have closed this department down hours ago and diverted all patients to St James" she continued getting more annoyed as he continued to lounge his back against the cabinet.  
"The whole reigens stretched the city can't afford to lose another Emergancy department at a time like this" he argued_ another good point_ Zoe thought to herself which was driving her mad he made decent points and if they could just agree on what to do together she was sure they would make a good team.  
"We can't afford to put our patients in danger" she put emphasis on the word "We" to stress to him that in the ED they are a family unit "The Students are not ready to cope with what you asked them to do today and the rest of the staff look like Zombies it is a miracle we didn't lose anyone to be honest" she was being brutal and ranting and it was not a good look for her but she had to get across to him the severity of what he did. She cared about everyone in the ED so much they were like one family which was one thing that Zoe had never had, ever since she was a kid she had wanted a family thats why leaving the ED for even a week had been tough on her. As much as she knew the ED relied on her they didn't know she relied on them especially Charlie and Tess who were like the mother and father she never had growing up in care. The funny thing was no-one knew her past and she got took a second to remember the day she truley felt she belonged but was interupted...

The door opened and Charlie entered "Sorry" he appoligsed as Zoe looked away "They're moving Nathan upstairs" Charlie told them simply knowing he had interupted a tense situation.  
"Thanks" Ash nodded and exused himself from the office passing Charlie on the way out and it was now she found herself losing it and she exchanged a look with Charlie conveying the tone of the conversation they were about to have. It killed her to see everyone in the ED so over worked and zombified "Can you believe that Charlie I told him to close the department down" she said getting up and walking round her desk to Charlie who was standing by the door. "No instead he sets up a mass casualty tent outside the car park" she closed the door and tried to take a steading breath to quel her rage she felt.  
"All he did was put patient care ahead of what the boss told him to do" Charlie reasoned putting a hand on her shoulder "Does that remind you of anyone?" he asked knowingly smiling at her "You just happen to be the Boss now" he told her calmly queling her anger."Charlie look I know you 2 have history but if I can't trust him I can't work with him" she tried to reason this to herself at least after all she had to be able to trust her own opinion.  
"Everyone else trusts him" Charlie's eye's were warm and comforting and his hand on her shoulder was comforting and reasurring and she felt for the first time what it was like to have a talk from a father figure from someone who would tell her the truth how it was and not what she wanted to hear. She paused for a second wanting to tell Charlie something but he started talking first "Do you remember what you asked me on your first day of acting clinical lead?" he asked kindly.  
"I don't remember" she lied rememberinf perfectly the question she had asked  
"Zoe you asked me would Nick have done anything differently and what did I tell you?" he asked  
"You said I should be myself and not to try to be Nick" she finished.  
"Precisley I told you to be your own person and to forget about Nick Jordan and to take a step back here Zo and listern to your collegues" Charlie advised and Zoe laughed  
"Thanks Charlie you always know how to get though to me" she smiled and Charlie smiled back "Come on hug" Charlie suggested putting his arms out to her and she fell into them letting his take her in a hug.

She left her office followed by Charlie and exchanged a look with him when she saw Ash researching on the computer. Whats more Tess was standing filling in patient notes _great _she thought and she looked back at Charlie like _do I have to _his nod made her turn her head back to Dr Ashford.  
"Dr Ashford I realise you've had a difficult time of it and considering the circumstances it hasn't gone as badley as it could of done" again the emphasis was on the word as because she could not risk this sort of behaviour happening again. "So obviously there will be a probationry peroid just to see if we all get on" Zoe said exchanging a look with Charlie who smiled at her to continue "So I would like to offer a permenant position on our team" it was done no taking the words back now and she sighed.  
Ash smiled cheekly exchanging a look with Charlie"You won't regret it I promise you now"  
"We'll see"Zoe sighed and walked off thinking privatley to herself that she would regret this "Will I regret this?" she asked Tess going back to her office wanting to hear an honest opinion from someone else.  
"They say you only regret the things you don't do" Tess ventured  
"Well whoever came up with that clearly hasen't been to the same parties as me" she replied sarcastically.

End of shift thank goodness and despite Dr Ashford's continuing defiance of her authoraty it was over "Well done Zoe I know that wasn't the most easiset thing in the world Charlie praised "You are too right that wasn't easy" Zoe scowled.  
"I was proud of you today" Charlie smiled leaving the ED and heading to the pub  
"I don't need constant validation Charlie I'm not a child" she joked but there was obviously a tinge to her voice that she hadn't detected as Charlie put his arm on her's. "You know you can talk to me" he promised and then paused as Zoe didn't say anything"I'm an old man it goes in one ear-" he started and she laughed pushing the door open. "I think I owe you a drink" Zoe offered  
"Well who would I be if I turned down a free drink" he laughed letting her into the pub.

**So reviews are always welcome and I hope you liked it! **


End file.
